Bright Lights
by ReadingBlueWolf
Summary: All little Tony wanted to know was if Santa existed, and he never meant for his friend to fall victim to the robot king. But a faulty A.I. with a curious side might be the answer to their problems. (X-Men and Vision involved)
1. Eight Year Old's Know Better

**Seasons Greeting!**

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><p>"Home for the holidays, Tony?"<p>

Stopping his swing, Tony looked up to see a sandy hair colored boy walking toward him. "For a few weeks."

"And you didn't call? I thought we were friends."

"Wha'?" They had been friends—still were, Tony thought. They just didn't go to the same private school anymore. Tony had gone away to school last year, and with that came the fact he could only see his old friends during holiday break. He started his swing again. "We're friends, Reed. I jus' got home last night."

Reed shrugged. "You've been home at least nineteen hours, I would assume. If you slept for twelve hours—which is unlikely for you— that's still seven hours that you could have told me you were home. I would have called you."

Tony stopped the swing and this time climbed off. There was no arguing with Reed. He liked to be "_Mr. Smarty Pants_". Tony's mother told him to "_ignore Reed when he's like that, sweetie_". Tony shoved his hands in his pockets. "What're you doing for Christmas?"

"Probably opening gifts and going to a family feast. You?"

"I think my family's comin' to my house this year," he replied with a toothy grin. "Wha'd you ask Santa for?"

Reed snorted. "Santa? Tony, we're eight. That fairy tale of Santa is for those under the age of seven. You should know better."

He paused. While he questioned the existence of Santa at the school he went to, everyone believed in jolly old Saint Nick—not to mention elves, fairies and dragons. In fact, he knew a fairy. Telling Reed that would only result in another "_Reed's Soapbox moments_" as his father termed it. But, letting Reed win the argument didn't sound like fun. So, even though his parents warned him against it, Tony crossed his arms and replied, "Maybe…but some things we think are fairy tales are real. Like Santa."

This time Reed laughed. "Don't be so foolish, Tony. Smart boys like us don't believe in a fat, old man in red riding a sleigh. Besides, it's physically impossible for him to travel the world in one night."

Santa didn't just travel the world, but the universe. All in one night. Or so Tony had been told—he didn't exactly have proof. Regardless, how Tony would explain that… Well, he just couldn't.

The thing was not everyone got to go to the school he did. Not everyone was that lucky. However, they also didn't offer an answer as to how Santa could get across the entire universe in one night. Tony was left stumped.

"Face it," Reed continued when Tony didn't reply. "It's just not logical. Reindeer can't pull a sleigh that fast and time doesn't stop. It can't be rewound. You should know this. You like to invent things. You like science. You're just like me.

"Besides, everyone who's anyone knows that parents wrap the gifts, fill the stockings and eat the cookies and milk we put out to drink. When did you grow so naïve?"

The wind blew across the playground at the moment and caused Tony to pull his jacket tighter around him. Was he just like Reed? Had he become..._naïve_?

"Tony!"

He turned to see his mother waving to him. Shaking his head, he looked at Reed. "I gotta go. I'll call you after Christmas."

Sprinting towards his mother, he wondered again if Santa was real. He knew what his school taught, but perhaps they were liars. Maybe that girl wasn't even a fairy. Maybe that's why would no one explain the magic of Santa?

When he caught up to his mom, she took him by the hand. "It's getting late and cold, my little hero. We can't stay out too long on Christmas Eve. It'll cause Santa to be delayed. And besides, we have gifts to wrap, cookies to finish, and a snowstorm to avoid."

He tugged his hand out of his mother's. "Mom, I'm eight. You don't need to hold my hand anymore."

She looked at him for several moments in silence, her brow raised, before she crossed her arms and nodded. "You're right. I forgot that you're getting so old now."

She frowned at him and he felt his insides twist. That was a look she only gave him when she was disappointed—and he did his best to _never_ receive it. Maybe he shouldn't have told her he was old enough to walk on his own. With a soft sigh, he crossed his arms and walked in silence home.

By the time they had reached the house, Tony had decided Santa was a fraud. Everything about the man was impossible. With slumped shoulders, Tony figured he'd reached what he'd heard called a "_millstone"_ that every person had to go through. He wished millstones didn't have to be so bad.

Outside the house, his mother and he shook off their boots before entering.

"Greetings," Jarvis said with a smile. "Did you have a wonderful stroll?"

Tony watched his mother hand Jarvis her coat. "We did. We even had time for Tony to swing for a while before he informed me that he's too old to hold my hand. I suppose goodnight kisses are next."

"Surely that can't be, ma'am." Jarvis cast a glance to Tony. "Perhaps someone just had a hard day."

"I'm not sure. I think he's too old for Christmas even. Hopefully Santa doesn't think so," she replied. "Has the dough risen? I'm hoping to start the pizza now."

"It has, ma'am," the butler replied. "It's all ready for you in the kitchen. Hopefully you can finish in time. There's supposed to be a horrible snowstorm coming in tonight."

"However will Santa make it through?" she questioned before walking to the kitchen.

Tony shrugged off his coat and handed it to Jarvis.

"I'm sure Rudolph will be earning his keep tonight," the butler said with a smile.

He looked up at the man. "We all know Santa doesn' exist, Jarvis."

"Young master!" he gasped. "I've never heard such blasphemy come from your mouth. Why, before you left I heard all about how excited you were that Santa would arrive. What has changed your mind?"

Tony followed Jarvis to the closet where the man hung the coats. "I saw Reed in the park. He said Santa isn' real. There's no way a man could fly across the world in one night. And is's not just one world, Jarvis. Is's all acrossed the universe."

Jarvis turned to him and knelt to one knee. "Young master, I'm not certain why you believe that boy, but you know for a fact that many things are possible that seem ridiculous on Earth—first hand, I might add. Young Reed Richards knows only one narrow minded way of thinking. You are raised with a much wider view."

Tony didn't respond. Instead, he watched as Jarvis rose to his feet and walked toward the kitchen. He trudged behind. Inside, he felt even more confused. Once he reached the kitchen, he climbed onto a stool and watched his mother work.

Jarvis moved to assist Tony's mother in cooking.

Glancing to the clock, Tony wondered how long it would be before his classmate arrived. Well, she wasn't technically his classmate, she was three years younger. In any case, once she arrived he'd be able to think about things other than the fact that Santa wasn't real. He wondered what room of the house they'd explore next.

The last time they had gone into his father's workshop. They'd found a drill and used it on a motorcycle with a flat tire that sat in the corner. Apparently that wasn't the way to fix the tire since the bike was now scratched up, and they'd both lost dessert privileges for a week—not to mention, Tony had also been banned from the workshop unless his father invited him.

As if knowing what he was thinking, his mother looked at him. "I'm afraid Skylar won't be joining us this year."

Tony sat up straight as his brow furrowed. Skylar normally spent Christmas with them. Where else would she stay? And if she wasn't there, he'd be alone in the big house while his family sat around and played games he couldn't participate in. Without a word, he slid off the stool and trudged to his room. Once there, he pulled a dictionary from the shelf.

Walking to his desk, he set the large book on it and sat in his chair. Tony opened it to the word _Santa Claus_ and read: _n. A benevolent figure of legend, associated with Saint Nicholas, supposed to bring gifts to children on Christmas Eve, or in some European countries on Saint Nicholas' Day. Often shortened to Santa. Also called Father Christmas._

Blinking, he felt his shoulders sag. With the proof that Santa was just a story, he felt as if a ton of bricks had settled on him. If the man was a fake, was everything he was taught in school a lie? Had that girl lied to him about being a fairy?

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	2. What Was in the Sauce?

**Evening! Hope you had a wonderful day!**

**-Or-**

**Morning! Hope your day goes well!**

**Here's day 2! I hope you're liking it so far! Sorry if it's a bit rough.**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>He lay in bed staring at the ceiling, listening to the snowstorm destroy the world outside. A sigh crossed his lips. Jarvis was right. He'd been so sure of everything hours before. Since talking to Reed, however, he felt as if a bunch of worms were crawling around in his stomach. Everything he had known was a lie. He'd always wondered, but finding out the truth... It was almost too much for his little heart to bear.<p>

With a huff, he rose from bed and made his way downstairs on a mission to the kitchen. Once there, he'd have to decide between milk or water, and if he wanted some cookies. Who was going to stop him at this hour? Santa?

Entering the living room, Tony paused and looked at the fireplace. Stockings were hung across, six in all. He frowned. Only four would need to be filled by his parents tonight. He glanced to the tall tree wrapped in white light with sparkling ornaments. Beneath it was empty except the toy train that normally circled it on Christmas morning. Soon enough however, the train would have to make room for the gifts his father would place there.

His shoulders slumped. Suddenly, the wood beneath his feet felt icy. With a shudder and a sniff, he decided against a drink and late night snack. Turning, he made his way back to his room.

Tony had barely made it onto the large '_S_' etched in the giant entryway when the blue, crystal vase next to the staircase began to rattle. He knew the storm outside was terrible, but to shake something within the house was odd. From what he knew, the mansion was _built like a rock_—so the saying went as far as he understood.

A light from outside flashed in his eyes, momentarily blinding him. Blinking, he heard a long whistle beyond the door. Tony's head turned slightly to the right. That whistle simply could not be what he thought it was. There was no way. After a moment, he rushed to the closet, grabbed his boots and jacket then ventured to the door to see.

Part of him thought perhaps he was a bit foolish for going outside. To open the door in a snowstorm would send white powder flying through the house. Jarvis would then have to clean it. However, when the whistle blew a second time, his fingers grasped the door handle. He just had to know for sure.

Squinting, Tony braced himself and opened the door in expectation that the snow would blow him backwards. Instead, he was met with a silent night. The snowstorm was nowhere to be seen. In its place, however, was something completely different.

An enormous object stood in his driveway hissing steam which wreathed around it, masking its figure. Tony could hear the sigh as the engine stopped. Slowly the steam began to disappear allowing a train to be seen. His mouth dropped open as he looked at the engine. It was just like his toy one that circled the tree.

"All aboard!"

Tony turned to see a man on the snow just outside a car. The conductor was looking at Tony—or who Tony thought was the conductor.

Instead of having a hat and jacket, the man had a blue mask over his face complete with an 'A' on his forehead. The man looked directly at him. "Are you coming, young man?"

Tony walked toward the conductor and somewhere in his mind, he swore he knew the guy. There was something about the mask along with the blue pants, blue chest with a white star in the middle of it, and the red and white abdomen part that rang a bell.

He paused before the conductor, frosty breath wreathing around his face. "Where're we going?"

"To the North Pole," he responded. "This is the Polar Express."

Tony crossed his arms as a chill began to creep across his skin. "What's at the North Pole?"

The conductor smiled. "You'll just have to see. Now come on, we don't have all night."

Tony watched the conductor climb on board and wave to him. He hesitated and wondered what his mother had put in the pizza sauce. Perhaps this was all one big dream.

The conductor shrugged. "Suit yourself." He then pulled a shield off his back and turned it toward the head of the train.

Tony's eyes widened as he noticed red and silver circles that surrounded a blue circle with a star in the middle. The conductor waved the star side and the train hissed to life. A long whistle echoed from the engine and it jumped forward.

There was no way any of it was happening. Trains didn't just pull up to his house—and without the use of tracks, he might add. Tony pinched himself in order to wake up. Instead, he winced in pain. Maybe he wasn't sleeping. If that was the case…

Dashing forward, Tony sprinted after the railing and steps. He wanted to get on the train. Something inside drove him, but as the train gained speed, he found himself falling behind. Tears filled his eyes. He couldn't miss the experience. He had to get on.

His eyes widened as the train slammed to a stop. He was certain that anyone on the train would have been thrown from their seats. However, he also saw it as his only chance. He dashed forward hoping to gain entry.

Heaving in cold air, he coughed roughly as he grabbed the railing and pulled himself onto the steps. He took several moments trying to catch his breath and stop from coughing on the bitter cold air. When he felt the train move forward again, he grabbed the railing with both hands and turned to watch the train pull away from his home.

"Ahem."

Tony glanced back to see the conductor holding the door open for him. He walked up the steps and entered into the car. In the back of his mind, he was excited for the adventure to come. As his gaze swept across the car, he paused.

On second thought, what had he gotten himself into?

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	3. Cocoa Dreams

**Happy hump day!**

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><p>The train was warm like a blanket and put a stop to his shivers. As Tony glanced around the car, he was surprised to see plenty of other children all in their pajamas as well. All of them laughed and sang Christmas songs together. Did they know each other? It seemed like it. He bit the inside of his cheek. Where would he sit? Would he fit in?<p>

Tony slowly walked down the aisle, looking for an open seat. Every seat already had a kid in it. One aisle held an older red headed girl who seemed to be cursing in Russian at the brown haired boy in front of her. From what Tony guessed, the boy seemed to be teasing her about spiders as he looked down over the back of the seat. Another had blonde boy with a space gun who was reading a comic. Next to him sat a girl with green skin.

Tony's mother had always told him not to stare, so he quickly turned his gaze to the red carpet down the aisle. If Reed was there, Tony would have shown her as proof. Not everything in fairy tales was real.

As Tony reached the back of the car, he looked up to see an open golden box displaying a bright red emergency brake. Maybe someone had seen him trying to board the train and used it. It would have made sense why the train stopped so suddenly.

When he finally arrived at the back row, he looked down to see a familiar little blonde girl in a yellow duck onesie, and her black puppy. He smiled and his brow furrowed.

"Skylar?"

She looked up at him. "Finally ca'ch up, did ya?"

He settled in the seat next to her and was bombarded by kisses from the puppy. "Hi, Jac."

The puppy wedged himself between Skylar and Tony and looked at him. "Hi, Tony."

Patting Jac on the head, Tony looked at Skylar. "Did you stop the train?"

She glanced to the emergency break before putting an arm around the puppy. "I didn' think you'd got on. You look like an not believer."

"Not believer?" he questioned.

"Yeah," Jac whined. "Like you tought the twain was a dweam or someting."

Tony decided not to answer that question. Jarvis usually said, "_some things are better left unsaid, young master_". "Have you been on before?"

"No," Jac responded with a shake of his head.

"Is's my firs' time," Skylar answered. "I'm escited to see the North Pole! They told about it in school. I guess some kids have been there."

He slouched into the seat. She was so excited and bought into the Santa gimmick. If he told Skylar he didn't believe, he wondered what she would think. And would Jac be upset? He folded his hands on his lap and twiddled his thumbs. "So, you're not coming for Christmas this year?"

Her smile went away as she sat back and shrugged softly. "No."

Tony bit the inside of his cheek. Why hadn't his parents gotten her to come over? "Well, your stocking's up on the chimmey."

"Wit' cair?" Jac barked and grinned.

Tony smirked at the puppy's humor. "Visions of sugar plums aren't dancin' in our heads."

Jac's tongue lolled out of his mouth in a huge grin. His grey eyes turned toward the window and he closed his mouth. With ears stiffened, he stepped onto Skylar's lap and pressed his nose against the window, breath fogging the window.

Both Tony and Skylar leaned over to see what had caught the puppy's attention.

Skylar rubbed the fog away and gaze out. "Wow..."

With eyes wide, Tony watched as the wolves ran through the forest in their search for food. He'd never seen a wild wolf—only those in the zoo. He guessed they were cold, especially since their heads were wreathed in the white frost from their breath. His father had talked about wolves many times; saying how they were strong and Tony should be like them. He didn't understand what his father meant by that, but he grew to like the animals—possibly because Jac looked like one.

"Tickets!"

Tony startled and looked up as the conductor entered the train. In his gloved hand he held a silver hole-puncher.

"Tickets!" he called again.

Skylar pulled a gold ticket out of her onesie pocket.

"Are we goin' to Willy Wonka's factory?" Tony joked.

"Candy?" questioned Jac and he pulled himself away from the window.

"Boys," Skylar muttered and shook her head.

Tony looked at the ticket in her hand. There was a black wolf stamped in the corner of it. "Where'd you get that?"

"Don' you have a ticket?" she questioned with a look. "You mus' if you're on the train."

He bit his cheek as he realized he'd never been given a ticket. Would they take him home? Or worse, would he be dumped off in the wilderness? He trembled when the conductor reached him.

"Ticket, young man."

He felt tears weld up in the corners of his eyes as the train grew quiet. Whispers started about what would happen to the boy with no ticket.

"Check your pocket," the conductor said softly.

Fingers shaking, Tony reached into his pocket. His eyes widened as he felt a thick piece of smooth paper. Pulling it out, he saw he too had a gold ticket, but no wolf in the corner. Breathing a sigh of relief, he handed it to the conductor.

"Thank you, young man," the conductor hole-punched it and handed it back. He then reached for Skylar's and did the same.

"Thanks, Mister Con-duck-tor," Skylar said, taking her ticket back. After he left, she looked at the ticket. "That guy sure doesn' look like a duck."

Tony laughed causing her to look at him with a twisted brow.

"No, _conductor_. Silly. It's the person in charge of the train and he collects the tickets," he explained when he stopped laughing. "And I thought I didn' have one."

"Evewyone who gets on the twain has one," Jac answered.

"You couldn' get on without one. _Silly._" Skylar replied and crossed her arms.

Tony bit the inside of his cheek. If he couldn't get on without one, then it stood to reason that he was supposed to be on the train. Why was he on the train? Who wanted him on the train?

He realized there were simply too many questions that needed answering. How was he supposed to figure it all out? His brain was starting to hurt from all the unanswering going on. His eyes darted around the train in order to focus on something else. A glint of gold on the wooden panel before him caught his eye.

Reaching forward, he grabbed the golden latch. Snapping it to the right caused a tray to fall down. He wondered if they got to eat or color. With a soft rumbling in his stomach, he hoped it meant food.

It wasn't long before a waiter entered their car, pushing a trolley down the center. He stopped at each row and handed out a dish along with a cup of what smelled like hot cocoa.

When the waiter reached Tony's row, he looked up. The way the man's blue eyes sparkled down at him reminded him of Jarvis.

Placing hot cocoa and cookies before all three of them, the man gave a nod. "Enjoy."

Jac grinned and grabbed the handle of the cocoa. He pulled it into his paws and blew gently on it. "I love cocoa."

Tony chuckled. That was true. His mother had to keep an extra supply in the house just for him during the holidays. The puppy could down gallons of it and make himself sick if he wasn't watched carefully. When that happened, his mother always put Jac on what she called a "_Cocoban_" which meant three whole days without the drink.

Grabbing his own cocoa, Tony blew gently to cool it enough and then took a sip. It warmed his entire body and put a smile on his face. The stuff was good—really good. No wonder Jac had already finished his portion and was looking for seconds.

Tony stopped drinking long enough to try a cookie. It was soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside—just the way he liked them. It was hard to decide if he wanted to drink the cocoa more or finish his cookies. Several minutes later it didn't matter because they both were gone.

When the cups and plates were taken away, Tony put the tray back up and patted his stomach. "That was yummy."

Jac wagged his tail in response before curling in between them and placing his head on Skylar's lap. In minutes, he dozed off.

Tony looked at Skylar.

She sat with her forehead against the window watching the trees rush past. A frown could be seen in the reflection of the glass. She should have been excited like she had first said. Normally, she lived for things that were viewed as dreams and fairy tales on Earth. Also, she liked to talk to him. Not in the "_chatterbox_" way, but when she was excited it neared that point.

He took a breath. "Cat got your tongue or somethin'?"

She looked at him before patting Jac on the head. "I'm okay."

"You don't seem okay."

"Just sleepy," she said and looked out the window again.

He shifted in his seat. Perhaps the train trip was supposed to be quiet. The other children seemed to have settled down a bit. Most of them were looking at the scenery as well. With a yawn, he shut his eyes. Maybe a few minutes of sleep would make the ride seem faster.

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	4. Don't Be A Scaredy Cat

**Okay, so this is a few days late. I got hit with a bunch of homework. I hope to get another chapter out tonight as well.**

**Also, I had to do a bit more cleaning up and research before being able to post. The conversation should flow now. Or seem normal.**

**Thanks for you patience as I polish off the rust.**

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><p>His face scrunched as woke. His neck felt stiff and it took him a few moments to be able to turn it without it hurting. Blinking, Tony rubbed the back of his neck and looked around. His brow shifted into confusion as he noticed all the lights on the train had gone out. For the first time since before he boarded, he felt icy cold. His attention was pulled to the right where all the kids looking out the frosty window. Through the glass he could see the Northern Lights dancing above.<p>

Turning to Skylar, he saw she had moved and pulled down her window. He climbed to his knees and pushed his head out the window next to hers.

"What's goin' on?"

"Train stopped," she responded. "The oders think this might be the stasion."

Tony moved to the aisle and stretched. Looking around, he wondered if this train normally turned the train off when they arrived. From what his dad had taught him, trains stayed bright so people could see their exit. He looked at the back door. Would going outside answer their questions? He grabbed the handle. "Come on."

She turned to him, eyes wide, as she settled back in her seat. "Are you crazy?"

"No," he pouted and crossed his arms. "Don' you wanna explore?"

She bit her bottom lip. "Wha-wha'd if we're not s'pose to get off?"

"Since when do you wait for instructions?" he questioned as a smirk formed on his lips. "Are you gonna be a... _scaredy cat_?"

Her brows lowered as she scrunched her lips. "I'm not a scaredy cat."

"Then why won't you go outside with me?"

She hesitated before picking up Jac who was still sound asleep. The puppy was half her size and it was a surprise he didn't wake as she kept her arms wrapped around his chest. His long legs hung down to her knees and yet he didn't move as he was carried.

He forced his lips not to smile for two reasons. First, Tony knew she hated being called a scaredy cat, and wasn't surprised that she agreed to follow. She thought that girls could do anything boys could do. Second, he found it funny that Jac looked like a giant rag doll flopping around in her arms.

Turning, Tony opened the backdoor to find a little balcony. Beyond the balcony, he could see black tracks breaking up the white snow. His eyes widened. They were on what his father called the caboose. Stepping outside, he shut the door after Skylar joined him.

He watched as she gazed to the trees around them. Taking a few steps, Skylar peered around the side. Her eyes widened.

She gasped. "And'tony!"

"_Anthony_," he corrected. "_Th_ not _d_."

She glared at him. "An_th_ony."

"Better," Tony replied and joined her at the edge. He peered around the side.

In the distance stood a city with twinkling lights. It reminded him of the pictures his mom had from some painter, _Vangoes? _he thought. The warm light emanating from it made him want to be safe in the city. Again, he questioned where they were. Above, the Northern Lights shined brightly like a force field guarding the city.

"Where'd you think that is?"

She blinked and turned to him. "Oh…I think that's the North Pole. I'has to be."

His brow furrowed. If they were that close to the North Pole, why did the train stop? Were they supposed to walk?

"Isn' it purrdy?" she whispered.

"Pre_tt_y," he said. Tony looked from her to the sky where she continued to watch the Northern Lights. They saw lights just like those at school at school. Skylar was always watching them.

"Look how they dance… They're beau'iful—"

"Beau_t_iful."

She sighed and turned to him with a glare. "Stop. The lights are beau_t_iful. Like royalty. I want to be that pre_tt_y."_  
><em>

Tony gazed up at the lights. What was it with girls and wanting to be pretty? It didn't make any sense. Didn't they realize they had cooties? His dad had told him that girls carried the disease until they were in their twenties.

Skylar turned to him. "I don't see why the train stopped."

Tony didn't answer. With the silent night, he didn't hear and couldn't see anything that was stopping the train. In fact, he was even more confused. His brow rose as Jac jolted to life and squirmed out of Skylar's grasp. The puppy stared at the darkness in the surrounding trees, and he put forth his best attempt at growling.

Skylar looked down at Jac. "What?"

Tony watched the shadows. From them came what Tony could only describe as a life-size Terminator toy. While he'd never seen the movie, he had seen posters and pictures of the robots in passing. His father and mother both thought he was a bit young for the movie—which he thought was funny in light of the fact they had let him and Skylar watch _Jurassic Park_ and _that_ was pretty scary.

His brow furrowed when he realized the toy's eyes were blue instead of red. Maybe it wasn't an evil robot. Could it be friendly? As he continued to watch, Tony gasped and pulled Skylar back. Despite the eye color being different, the robot's eyebrows were still positioned to make it look angry. He shuddered as more came from the forest. The formation reminded him of soldiers.

"We shouldn't be here," he said and started tugging on the handle. Icy claws ran over his skin and through his body when he realized the door wouldn't budge. Looking around, he noticed a ladder leading up to the roof. Glancing back, he saw the first of the soldiers were close to the train. "Come on!"

Grabbing Skylar by the hand, Tony tugged her toward the ladder. He wasn't surprised when Jac shot past and climbed up the ladder first. Tony followed suit as the train began to move again. He pulled himself up with Skylar right behind.

"TONY!" she screamed.

He looked back to see Skylar holding on for dear life. At her feet a robot had grabbed her.

Tony reached down. "Give me your hand!"

The look on her wide-eyed and horrified face was one he'd seen while watching _Jurassic Park _and the kids were being chased by the raptor. The only difference was Skylar had red cheeks and was crying as well. She kicked out as she tried to gain a grip in order to reach for him.

A yelp escaped Jac as Skylar lost her balance and slipped. Both her and the solider tumbled into the snow. In the confusion, she kicked the robot off and started to dash toward the train. Another soldier rushed at her, snatching her from the ground. It lifted her up, making sure to get a firm hold on her. She screamed as the soldier trotted into the forest and the others retreated behind.

Tony jumped from the train and rolled into the snow. Pushing himself to his hands and knees, he was met with a black nose prodding him to get up. It was then he realized Jac had jumped as well. Standing, Tony worked at running through the heavy snow to catch up with the soldiers. With Jac to guide him, they plunged into the forest in search of Skylar.

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	5. Are Wolverine's Vicious?

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><p>Dreams of the dancing Aurora Borealis slipped from her vision. The world suddenly became very dark and extremely cold. Beneath her, she could feel icy stone. Wherever she was, it was not the warm train, and she was no longer watching beauty pirouette across the sky. Blinking, she was greeted with the sight of a tiny, dim cell.<p>

It dingy and damp. With the harsh wind that blew from the tiny window, it rattled the hinges of the iron gate door and made her shudder violently. She pulled the hood of her pajamas up, causing the bill of the duck to partly obscure her vision. She was thankful she had been put in the ducky onesie. At least it provided some warmth.

With a shake of her head, she rose and placed her hands on the metal bars. She jumped back as the cold burned her fingertips. How did she end up in this place?

Sinking against a corner, Skylar brought her knees to her chest. When she stepped on the train, she'd just wanted to see if Santa existed. Last year she'd lost her parents. After asking the red suited man for her family back, she'd received an Easy Bake Oven and was bounced around between school and two homes instead—neither of which seemed to have time for her.

Tears filled her eyes. She'd been such a good girl; had done her very best in school and not to cause trouble at either house. So, when she wrote to Santa and asked for her parents, she was certain he'd heard. When Christmas came and went without them coming back, she felt as if her chest was ripping to shreds. Skylar had spent the majority of the year questioning if she had been a bad girl—she hadn't meant to hurt Howard's motorcycle—and why Santa hadn't given her what she wanted most.

It was just before the snow started that she first heard Santa wasn't real. She hadn't believed the talk, but when she discovered the men in malls were paid actors, the more it made sense the red man didn't exist. Besides, she hadn't done anything really bad, so the only thing that made sense was Santa was fake. If that was the truth though, then why had the Polar Express shown up at the apartment?

Probably so she could end up in a jail cell and prove Santa was a fraud. Tony's mother had told her countless times not to talk to strangers, and she always listened to Maria. Maria had once talked about how people lie to little kids so they can steal them. Maybe people had lied about Santa so they could trap little kids in prison.

Leaning her forehead on her knees, she sighed and wiped away her tears. Crying wasn't going to help her—besides, big girls didn't cry. Rubbing her hands together, she looked up at the bars again. Maybe if she touched them really quick, they would open. Or maybe if she shoved her shoulder against it she could open it—just like she did when Tony was holding the door closed on her.

Before she could stand up, the wind blew again and she glanced to the window. She thought about the dancing lights in the sky again. They were so beautiful—something she would never be. She longed to feel purdy—no, Tony said it was _pretty—_and delighted in. Instead, she was shuffled all over the place and often overlooked. It made the issue of Santa being fake so much worse. Placing all her hope in a man in a red suit she'd never seen, only to get her heart broken was something she didn't think she'd ever get over.

Her head turned when a door shrieked in the distance. Metal boots clamped against the stone floor as the sound approached her cell. She tried to scoot back further into the wall, heart racing as the memories of the robots in the woods came back. It was then she questioned where she was and what they wanted with her.

She shuddered as lifeless blue eyes shined into her cell. A metal hand reached out and pushed the bars open. One of the grey robot soldiers entered. It grabbed her and tugged her out of the cell.

"NO!" she shrieked and tried to break out of its grasp.

The robot responded by grabbing her roughly and slinging her over its shoulder. Skylar kicked at the robot only to have it hold her legs against its frozen body. It left the tower she was apparently being kept in and walked down a flight of steps into a larger hallway.

Flailing, Skylar slammed her fists against its back; screaming and throwing a tantrum in an attempt to escape. Looking up, her eyes widened when she saw dozens more robots file into the passageway and fall in line behind her captor.

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Tony's arms were wrapped tight around his torso. He was shivering like crazy, but knew that if he stopped he'd likely never find Skylar—not to mention he'd freeze to death. He had to hand it to Jac who kept pushing forward through the snow and trees. The puppy was relentless in his search for his master. Snow had started to fall from the sky and catch on the puppy's fur, making him look like a snowdog, but he kept going forward anyway.

They had been following the robots' trail for what felt like hours, and Tony didn't think they were any closer to finding Skylar. His feet were frozen as was his nose. He finally collapsed under a tree, unable to go any further.

Jac looked back before trotting over and sniffing him. "We godda go. Skylar's out dere somewhewre."

He shook his head. "I can't move. I'm tired and cold."

The puppy huffed before curling up next to him, trying to provide him some warmth. The only time Jac shifted was when his head rose and ears perked up. Not long after, he growled softly.

The growl was answered with a snarl. Through the trees a creature came into view. It sauntered towards them on four black furred legs. Its brown tiny ears twitched and gave way to its brown colored body. A strip of black fur ran down its back.

Jac stopped growling and his head tilted slightly. "It's a wolveweene. I wonder what it's doin' hewre."

Tony had heard and read about wolverines and how vicious they could be. Hopefully it wouldn't harm him. Although, with the way it marched up to his face, he couldn't be so hopeful.

"What are you doing here, bub?" it questioned.

"I'm looking for the robots," Tony responded.

"Those are nothin' but trouble. You'd do better to stay away from those rustin' pieces of junk." The wolverine turned and headed back the way it came.

"No!" Tony cried as he pushed himself to his feet and chased the creature. "You don't understand. I have to find them!"

The wolverine snorted. "Get out of here, kid. Go back to your cottage."

"I can't. I took the train."

The creature slowed and glanced back before replying with a growl. "The train? Then you better get back to it."

Tony stopped. "I want to, but the robots took my friend. I can't go back without her."

The wolverine froze in its tracks. Slowly, it turned its head back and looked at him. "Friend? You actually knew someone on the train?"

He dropped to his knees and sighed. Jac settled beside him. Tony looked at the creature. "Yeah, she was on the train tonight. The train stopped, and I thought maybe we were supposed to get off. I didn't know the robots would attack us. They took her. They just took her…"

His eyes weld up with tears and he rubbed his running nose. He shouldn't have called her a scaredy cat. If he hadn't, they wouldn't be lost in the forest on Christmas Eve. If he had just stayed in bed, he never would have gotten on the train and Skylar probably wouldn't have gotten taken.

"Stop crying, kid," the wolverine growled softly. "Come, we have to get you out of the open."

Wiping his tears, Tony watched as the wolverine began to gallop off.

"He's stwange?" Jac questioned and rose. The puppy shifted from paw to paw. "Should we twust him?"

Tony bit his lip before he looked at Jac. "We have to. Maybe he knows where Skylar is."

With a slow nod, the puppy followed the wolverine and Tony brought up the tail.

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	6. Party Gifts

**Happy Monday, lovelies! Hope your day goes well/went well!**

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><p>Maria had always told her that if something ever happened to her, she needed to yell for help as loud as she could.<p>

That's exactly what she did.

She screamed all the way down several flights of stairs and through several hallways. By the time the robot stopped in the midst of a dimly lit room, her voice hurt and the sides of her hands were bruised red and purple. She let out a shriek as the robot tossed her to the bitter cold floor.

"Gentlemen! Is that any way to treat our precious guest?"

She curled in a ball, trying not to cry as the entire right side of her ached from where she hit the ground. Shivering, she listened for whoever was talking. It sounded human with its melodic voice, however, there was something different about it. It reminded her of a Mickey Mouse toy she had that could speak. Plus, it made her skin crawl and made her afraid.

Slowly, Skylar peeked up to where the voice came from. She had to squint in the dim light from overhead. She barely made out a throne. Taking a breath, she shifted and pushed herself to her knees. On the throne sat what once looked like a marionette. She realized the strings were actually wires hanging out from the being as if he'd torn himself away from his user. The being on the throne looked liked the other robots, but he was much larger.

"Well hello there," it said, leaning forward. Its red eyes studied her closely with a raised brow. Unlike the same fixed look of anger on the other robots, this one seemed capable of expression. "Might you be Skylar?"

She froze. Despite him seeming friendly, she didn't trust it.

"I would assume you are, so that means our little party can commence," he responded and looked up. "Our guest should be given a party favor. It is for her after all."

Skylar cringed as two robots stepped forward into the soft light that bathed her. Her lip trembled as they displayed a black choker with a blue diamond dangling from it.

"Please, take this as a sign of my hospitality and consider it a thank you for attending."

She scrambled away only to be caught by one of the robots. It pinned her body against its cold metal one while the other placed the choker around her neck. She flailed helplessly until the robot released her. Collapsing to the ground, she cried out as her insides twisted and tensed.

Tears spilled from her eyes amidst pants as she struggled to cope with whatever the choker was doing to her. Soft gold swirls crossed her vision.

"My God how rude of me!" the robot exclaimed as he rose and moved above her, apparently very unaware of the pain she was in. "I haven't introduced myself. You must be dying to know who I am…"

His voice faded from her ears as she began to sob. She shuddered against the stone floor beneath her. Every bit of her felt as if she was on fire and was being stretched like a slinky without the stretch. It seemed like years had passed before it stopped.

When the pain receded, Skylar looked at her hands. Nothing seemed to have changed despite the pain. She could have sworn something had happened though. Moving to her knees, she looked down. She was a lot higher from the ground than she had been previously. Also, she was now in a leotard and tutu which sat snug against her…her chest? Her eyes widened?

What had the choker done to her?

A soft gasp left her lips as a metal hand appeared before her face.

"Come, my dear; let me show you something."

Despite her better judgment, she bit her lip before taking the cold hand. It helped her to her feet. She found herself unable to breathe as she realized the robots red eyes were closer to her face. Mere minutes ago, she would have been craning her neck to look up at him. Again, she questioned what had happened.

The robot slowly turned her to the right. There stood a full length body mirror. A gasp escaped her lips, and she stumbled backwards only to be caught by the red eyed robot.

"Do you like it?"

It took her a few moments to stand on her own again. The reflection before her couldn't be her. It was impossible. Slowly, she touched one hand to her stomach and the other to the choker. Her eyes widened as the reflection did the same. Her lip trembled.

In the mirror, she stood looking at herself—aged by ten years. The fifteen year old bit her bottom lip. When she had climbed aboard the train, she had thought it would help her doubts against Santa. She didn't know it would have aged her by ten full years. Was it taking it past the bad parts of her life?

Skylar couldn't pull her eyes off her reflection. She'd always wanted to feel this beautiful—like the Aurora Borealis. She'd always wanted to feel like a princess. Perhaps the robot wasn't as evil as she assumed.

"This," he gestured at her, "is perfection."

,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸

By the time they reached a crack in the mountainside, Tony was ready to collapse.

"Are we almost there?"

The wolverine snorted and shook his head. "We'll be there in a bit."

Jac's nose had been twitching the entire time. The puppy now looked up at the crevice they crept through. With ears back, he trotted up to the wolverine; tail wagging. "I'm Jac. And he's Tony."

"Give your name to strangers a lot, pup?"

Jac's tail tucked between his legs and he slowed to walk next to Tony.

The wolverine glanced back, ear twitching gently. He heaved a sigh. "Name's Logan. Nice to meet both of you."

"Same," Tony responded and rubbed his cold arms. "Logan, where're we going?"

"To meet the only one who can give you some sort of guidance if you wish to save your friend."

"Skylar's in mowtal dangew?" whined Jac.

Logan paused and looked at him. "Do you know nothing of the robots?"

Tony and Jac shook their heads.

The wolverine sighed and shook his head. "I'll let him do the explaining."

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><p><strong>I took a little liberty in adding to Ultron's personality. I modeled his speech after Red Reddington from the Blacklist.<strong>

**And yes, the story is a bit weird. What Christmas story isn't though?**

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	7. The Orphan Scheme

**Hello, lovelies! Hope your day went well, or is going well. I didn't know if I would get this out. I'm sick and I had a lot of homework.**

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><p>Tony bit his lip as animals surrounded him, talking loudly. Deer and moose were everywhere, as were birds, rabbits, squirrels and many others. Logan snarled at many of them as he walked up the hill. They shot him glares before clearing a path. Tony heard Jac whimper a few times as wolves trailed the puppy, sniffing at him. It wasn't long before Jac got the bright idea to walk between Tony's legs causing him to trip a few times.<p>

Logan rose on his hind legs, finally stopping before a fallen tree. "Professor, I found this boy lost in the woods with his pup. He's looking for his female companion who was taken by the robots."

Silence immediately surrounded them, and Tony felt all eyes on him. He moved to put his hands in pockets but decided to cross his arms instead. He shifted slightly hoping to see what Logan was talking too. At last, the wolverine bowed and moved out of the way.

Perched silently on the tree was a large bald eagle. Its blue eyes watched him closely. They seemed to hold a smile in them. Tony's arms slowly dropped to his sides.

"Hello, Tony. I am Charles Xavier. It is nice to meet your acquaintance."

Tony attempted to nod.

The eagle looked at the puppy. "Hello, young Jac. My, you are brave to lead Tony into the forest in search of your friend."

"You know?" Jac asked as his ears rose.

The eagle nodded. "I know many things that happen in this forest, though I cannot control them all unfortunately. I know the soldiers have taken your companion to their stronghold which lies south of the Pole."

"Can you show me where that is?"

The eagle nodded. "I cannot."

His eyes widened. If the eagle couldn't help them then they were wasting valuable time. If he couldn't get to her and get back to the train how would they get home? He froze. His mother would be so mad at him if he wasn't in his bed on Christmas morning.

He looked up at the eagle. "How do I get there? I have to save her."

Charles' head bobbed left and right as he studied the boy. "To what extremes would you go to save her?"

Tony's brow furrowed. _Extremes?_ "I'd… I'd search Central Park by myself to find her."

The eagle _hmm_'d softly. "I can help you get her back, but it will not be easy. The being who has her, the robot king, he is trying to overthrow the North Pole. He wishes to bring joy to the world in his own twisted way. He plans to use your companion to lure the elves from the city. Apparently they love a good ballet."

Tony's face squished in confusion. "I don't understand."

Charles chortled a soft laugh as he shook his wings. "It's hard to explain to an eight year old."

"So Skylar must not understand either," Tony said. "She's only five."

"Ahhh, but the robot king has a dark magic on his side. I believe by now he has used it on your companion. She will not be the same."

"Not the same?" Tony questioned. "How can she not be the same? Did he cut her hair?"

"Far worse, I'm afraid," the eagle replied. "You see, there is a prophecy about this—since there seems to be a prophecy about every Christmas story of worth. In the prophecy, the robot king is meant to capture a young girl who travels with her male friend. The robot king will transform the young girl causing her to grow up."

"What?!" Jac barked before he collapsed into the snow. "Gwhoa up? No!"

Tony shot a dark glance at the puppy before looking at Charles again. "Then how am I supposed to save her if she's old?"

"You'll have to age as well and challenge the robot king. That is, in fact, what you're meant to do. If your friend is in his clutches, then you are the savior who will rid the land of the evil king."

Tony rubbed his arm. "Will I be a grown up forever?"

"I'm afraid the tale gets a bit hazy there. I have regrettably heard it was permanent."

The last thing he wanted to do was grow up. He knew he wasn't keen on Santa being real and had told him mom not to hold his hand, but the truth was he still did want her bedtime kisses and he needed Santa to be real. However, if the only way he could get his friend back was to make himself old, he'd do it. "How do I become old?"

"You must visit the grizzly in the forest. He will have what you need," Charles said and glanced through the crowd. "Bruce? Please come up here."

It was several moments before a green lizard with a purple scarf wrapped around his neck and tiny black earmuffs made his way to the log.

"Professor?" he asked.

"Bruce, you will lead Tony to our grizzly friend."

The lizard gave a nod and looked at Tony. "I will escort you. This way."

Tony glanced to Jac, who looked just as confused as he did. With a shrug to each other, they both followed the lizard.

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The conductor counted the children as they stepped off the train. His brow rose. He only had thirty-eight. The thing was, he knew for a fact he had forty—forty-one including the puppy.

After situating the children with the elves, he climbed back on the train and began to search through the compartments. Upon reaching the last seat in the caboose, he stared at the window left open there. The three missing youngsters must have been in that seat for the other windows were all shut. He leaned over and brought the window to the closed position.

The conductor looked all around the seat. In the aisle, he saw a few droplets of water. His gaze landed on the door. Children weren't allowed outside. The dark forest was something the train needed to pass through in order to arrive at the North Pole, but there was a reason they sped through. Not everything in there was safe.

Regrettably, they'd been stopped on the outskirts by torn tracks. The conductor had no doubt that it was the evil king who had stopped the train. To what purpose, however, was another question entirely.

Opening the door, his stomach dropped as he noticed little footprints in the snow on the balcony. A set of paw prints accompanied them. The conductor traced their path to the ladder where he saw larger footsteps.

His gaze rose to the forest in the distance. Grabbing the shield from his back, he hopped the balcony and sprinted towards the darkness.

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Stepping back, he allow her the mirror to herself. As she basked in her new form, he knew he had her. In all her insecurities, she could never say no to what she saw before her. All little girls longed to feel special. They all needed to feel beautiful, especially the one before him. The orphaned child was putty in his hands. With a smirk, he stepped to the captain of the guard.

"Her friend will be along soon. See to it that he doesn't make it," he said softly and the mechanics of his face twisted into a smile. "Children are lost in the forest constantly out here. It's such a tragedy. Really, you would think that the red guy would do something about that problem."

The guard nodded and retreated with most of the robots.

He looked back at the orphan still admiring herself. _Beings are foolishly conceited_, he mused. However, with the way she watched herself, it proved everything was going according to plan. After years of searching for two children on the train that knew each other, he'd been able to fulfill the prophecy when he'd gotten record of the orphaned girl and her friend. But, while he allowed her to think she was special, it wasn't her he'd really been after. No, it was her friend, the boy.

If the legends were true, that boy would have just enough courage to save her and hence stop him from reclaiming the North Pole. His fingers clenched at the thought. He couldn't let that happen. He'd come to far to allow a little brat to overthrow his grand scheme.

The red eyed robot turned to one of the remaining ones; his right hand. "Prepare for a change, my friend. It is time we gained a new…vision."

He made to leave before his optics caught the girl pirouetting toward him.

"Wait!"

He took a step toward her. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry. I did not catch your name."

He bowed toward her, putting on a polite smile. "M'lady, I am Ultron."

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><p><strong>I know it's a bit crazy, but hope you enjoyed!<strong>

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	8. Friendship Means

**How is everyone today?**

**Thanks for taking the time to read. You guys are the best! :D**

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><p>Liquid slid over his body registering warm on his senors as it sealed any parts which had been flawed in even the tiniest way. He would be perfect when this was done. No more wires. No more shorts in circuiting. No more vulnerable wiring sticking out.<p>

As the winter air cooled the metal, he could feel it harden on his exoskeleton, making him into a flawless being. He smiled. He'd like to see the red man stop him. With this, his army would be unstoppable.

With this, he would be invincible.

After stepping from the bath, he turned to his second in command. "Get in."

The robot willing walked into the bath without a word. It was funny how his army followed blindly. Well, he hadn't created them to think for themselves. A grand military was run by one who could foresee every possible situation before it happened—not by mindless drones that didn't have names. If his army began to think on their own, the dominoes would fall one by one and his mission would never be completed.

He watched as the next batch was poured over his second in command. The robot never flinched, but remained motionless. The metal flowed down his new frame taking the pieces of metal and making them unbreakable. As the process came to an end, the robot stepped forth. Ultron's brow rose as he watched its face dry with a reddish color. Had he somehow rusted?

Stepping up, he placed a hand against its face. The red did not come off nor did it feel as if it was rusting.

"Perfection lost," he said. "Such a pity."

After a moment, Ultron stepped back. Perhaps it was just an odd occurrence. Well, as long as it didn't flaw him, everything would be fine. He had nothing to worry about.

"I must say," came a soft hiss, "the shine fits you quite well."

Ultron turned and looked across the room. His eyes settled on an olive colored snake gazing up at him. "To what do I owe this pleasure, Loki?"

The snake's mouth opened in a small smile revealing its black mouth. "I was just admiring your new suit of armor. My, that's a splendid metal you've melted. Really brings out the red in your eyes."

"I have no time for your games." The robot heaved a sigh before turning back to the next robot entering the bath.

"Do not turn your back on me, Ultron," Loki hissed. In moments, he stood in front of the robot now as a black steed. "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have that trinket you stuck on that girl's neck. In fact, you wouldn't have even know they were aboard the train. You _will_ humor me."

Ultron was quiet for a few moments before giving a nod. He would play the snake's little game. However, if Loki thought he was going to walk all over him, he was in for another treat. "What is it you want then?"

"I want to know why you're after that girl. Rumor has it she's a part of this prophecy with a boy from the train."

If Loki didn't know the boy was actually the center of the prophecy that was even better. Keeping his face neutral, he looked at the horse."And where did you hear this?"

"From the woodland creatures of course," he replied and slowly pranced in a circle around Ultron. "They're all a roar with the fact _they've_ found the boy."

There was no hiding the truth from the horse—or whatever he was. "What is it you're looking for? Just get to the point already."

"I know you're going to take out Red King," he said and shook his mane. "I want to help you. He's been sitting on that throne for far too long."

That surprised him. He hadn't expected to hear such a thing from Loki. He knew, however, that the horse's generosity came at a price. "What is it you want from this?"

"To take out my _brother_," he sneered and then shrugged. "Also, land of my own where you will not manage me."

The robot wouldn't have been surprised if Loki was trying to usurp him, but he could afford to let the horse think what he wanted. When Ultron regained control of the North Pole, no one would be able to stop him. He nodded and his face twisted into a grin. "I think that will work out just fine."

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Tony was glad it wasn't far to the bear's cave. Not only was he still cold, but he felt as if his feet were going to fall off from all the walking. Maybe he would try out for soccer when he got back.

When they arrived, Bruce told them to stay put then he scuttled inside the cave. He appeared a few minutes later with an enormous blue grizzly bear in toe. The bear appeared to have two circles around its eyes almost as if it had spectacles.

Jac's tail tucked between his legs and he scurried behind Tony.

"You are the boy Xavier sent?" the grizzly growled.

Tony swallowed roughly. "Yeah."

With a nod, the bear gestured for them to enter his cave. Slowly, the two crept inside.

The cave was much warmer than the outside which Tony was grateful for. A fire crackled softly from a fireplace at the back. Two overstuffed chairs sat near it with a brown rug between them. A bed sat to the right of the room and a stove sat to the left.

"Welcome," the grizzly said as he relaxed into one of the chairs. He pointed for Tony to sit in the other. "I am Hank McCoy, though my friends call me Beast. I assume you are the boy from legend?"

Tony settled in the chair and shrugged. "I don't know. That's what I've heard."

Hank nodded. "And what is your name, young cub?"

"I'm Tony… Tony Stark." He picked Jac up and placed him on the seat next to him. "And this is Jacamo. Jac for short."

"Not a pet, I see."

Jac pushed Tony away and crossed his arms. "No."

Hank smiled softly. "So, what is it you have come here for?"

"The eagle said something about having to grow up in order to save my friend."

The grizzly nodded. "And did Xavier tell you the price of such a need?"

Tony looked down at his hands. "He said there was a chance I could never be a kid again."

"And that's something you'll give up for your friend?"

He could feel Jac's gaze as the dog whined softly. He pat Jac on the head before looking at Hank. "Yes."

The grizzly rose from his seat and paced in front of the fire. "Such a big decision for one so young. How many Christmas's have you seen? Five? Six?"

"Eight," Tony replied and paused. He shouldn't have told his mom he was too old to hold her hand. Eight wasn't that old. He took a breath and looked at Hank. "But Skylar's only seen five. She deserves to see more."

"And so do you."

"Maybe." Tony gave a slight nod. "Mister Hank, I don't make a lot of friends. They don't like me because I don't have special gifts like them. Skylar though, she's a good friend—best friend."

Hank watched him closely. "That doesn't mean you need to become an adult in order to save her."

"No, it doesn't," he responded softly. "But, my mom said that having a best friend means putting their wants before yours. Usually that just means letting Skylar pick if she wants to be Mario or Luigi, or which ice cream she wants. Now though, she's in this mess because I told her to come outside the train with me. I...I even called her a scaredy cat because she didn't want to. So, I have to save her. Even if that means I never get to be a kid again. It's my fault she's old now."

Hank _hmm'_d and gave a nod before walking to a small, wooden cupboard above the stove. He pulled a small vial from the back corner and brought it to him. "This vial will age you, but it cannot make you young again. It is the only way to save your friend, however."

If Tony had been older, he probably would have questioned why someone was allowing a kid to do this sort of thing. Instead, he took the vial and looked at the red liquid inside. Maybe, had he been older, he also would have questioned if it was poison. He pulled out the cork and took a deep breath.

He then drank the vial.

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	9. Hard to Swallow

**Hello dearest. Hope your day was well. With this chapter, I am officially caught up. Yay!**

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><p>Skylar turned slowly on her toe and startled to see a red-faced robot with bright blue eyes. One brow was lowered slightly, giving it the appearance of curiosity. She crossed her arms as her eyes glanced over the rest of him. His armor was tinted green. The red and green reminded her of something. She couldn't remember what though.<p>

She opened her mouth, letting it hang for a few seconds before calling out. "Hello?"

It watched her for several more moments before venturing toward her. Pausing in front of her, its head tilted slightly to the right.

"What are you doing, miss?"

She was surprised by how human he sounded. While the edges of his voice were mechanical, he seemed more normal than Ultron. He also reminded her of someone. Perhaps someone from a dream long ago.

"Dancing," she responded and held out a hand. "Want to try?"

"Forgive me," he replied. "I am only programmed with the knowledge of Waltzing."

She smiled. "I've watched others perform that dance, but have never participated in it myself. I'd gladly give it a try."

His head tilted the other way. "Why do you no longer act as a child does?"

"Child?"

The robot blinked at her.

What was he talking about? She shrugged it off before smiling again. "Will you reach me to Waltz?"

He was quiet for a few moments as he pursed his lips. Finally, the mechanics of his face didn't twist, but instead flowed into a slight smile. The metal over his face was surprisingly malleable. He took her hand and placed his other at her waist.

The first few minutes it seemed more like one big fall gag. She tried to keep up with his smooth movements, only to stumble over her own feet. Perhaps she was not as perfect as Ultron claimed she was. However, as they progressed their movements became swifter and more surefooted. It wasn't long before the robot had her twirling across the floor.

"What is your name, stranger?" she questioned as they ended with a bow.

The robot stopped. "Name?"

Skylar nodded. "What do I call you?"

He hesitated. "I do not have a name."

"Well, you should think of one. All sentinel beings should have a name," she responded and walked to the window.

He followed. "Then I will think of a name."

"Good." Her fingers rested upon the glass as she watched white flurries come from the heavens.

"Why were you on the train?" the robot questioned.

Skylar glanced to him, brow raised. Again, he was speaking of odd things. "Train?"

He gave a nod. "You were on a train titled the Polar Express. What were you doing?"

She shook her head. What was he talking about? "Do not be silly. I've always been at the castle."

His eyes widened slightly. "My mistake. Perhaps you have, miss."

,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸

It had burned the whole way down and not a good burn like his mother's soup. In fact, it must have caused him to pass out because he realized he was lying on the brown carpet. Rising to his knees, he placed a hand to his head. He could feel a bruise forming where he'd hit the ground. Perhaps drinking the vial hadn't been a good idea.

As he focused on his surroundings, he noticed Jac standing a few feet from him. The puppy stood posed, ready to bolt from the room.

"Jac?"

Tony's eyes widened. Was that his voice? It sounded so deep. So… not like him. He looked down at his hands and noticed how they'd grown. Standing to his feet he noticed how far from the ground he now was. So, the vial had done its job.

"How do you feel?"

Tony turned to Hank. "I… I'm fine."

"You look a bit pale—I suppose that's expected. Please, have a seat."

He thought about shrugging the grizzly off, but his shaking knees suggested otherwise. He lowered himself into the chair and put a hand to his head. What had he done? He had given up his childhood why?

He paused.

Tony had decided to age in order to save Skylar. It was his fault she was in this mess. He had to fix it. With a deep breath, he felt himself relax and he looked at Hank. "What do I do now?"

"You will need armor to fight the robot army."

"And where do I get that?"

Hank crossed his arms. "At the top of my mountain you will find a griffin. He is the keeper of weapons and armor. Tell him I sent you and he will do you no harm. But be warned, young man, his brother is as sly as a snake and you must watch out for him. Do not trust the nightmare. Search only for the silver griffin with the red markings. Any other creature up there will lead you astray."

Tony nodded. "I can do that."

"What about me?" questioned Jac as he took a few steps forward. "Wha'do I do?"

The grizzly looked at the puppy for several moments before moving back to the cupboard. He pulled a small dog bone and brought it to Jac. "This will make you a dog for only seven hours. After that, you will transform back into a puppy. You both must use your time wisely."

Jac hesitated before gently taking the treat and chewing it. His face scrunched as he swallowed the bone. In moments, his limbs stretched and grew. With tail tucked between his legs, he whined through the process. Before long Jac stood six feet tall—wobbling back and forth on unsteady legs.

Jac stuck his tongue out. "That was gross." His brow furrowed at the sound of his deeper growl. "Is that my voice?"

"Beggars can't be choosers, and it is," Tony responded and looked at Hank. "How do we climb the mountain?"

"I will lead you to the path. I cannot climb the mountain with you, however. The griffin and I do not get along."

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	10. Directive: Terminate

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><p>It was dangerous to approach the throne unheralded. He'd been programmed with the knowledge it could be his last time entering the room. However, he was...curious. He didn't understand why the girl needed to be used. His master's transgressions were against the boy; not the child now held hostage. Not the one who was forgetting who she was. Why hadn't his master taken the boy from the train and left the girl? Would not that have made more sense?<p>

Perhaps if he could speak with his master, they could come to an understanding and they would let her go—or perhaps he would understand his master's vision.

When he reached the throne, he bowed low. "M'lord."

"Rise," Ultron replied, his fingers running softly over the armrest. "What brings you on this glorious eve?"

The robot rose and looked up at him, recognizing that his master was in a good mood. Perhaps this would be easier than he thought. "The girl. I have questions."

"I suppose I can answer them. What is it you want to know?"

"Why does she remember nothing?" the robot asked. "She believes her whole to have existed in this castle."

Ultron's face twisted into a smirk. "Everything is going according to plan then."

"I thought the plan was simply to take over the Red King's domain, and to do that we need the boy."

"It is," his master replied, eyes brow lowering. "Are you, perhaps, questioning my judgment?"

The robot shook his head. "Not at all, my lord. I just want to understand."

"Being enlightened can be a terrible gift. Look at what happened to the humans when one took an apple from the serpent."

The robot froze. Hadn't his master just accepted a necklace from a snake? His circuits quickly connected and recognized that if he said anything, his master would dismantle him._  
><em>

Ultron rose from the throne and sauntered down it. "Is there something wrong?"

"Wrong, my lord?"

"You grow silent—as if perhaps you have something to say but know better than to ask."

The robot felt his gears begin to shift again. "No, my only question is regarding the girl. I understand it is not good to be curious. It reportedly kills cats from what I have downloaded. I only wish to see the vision as you do."

"Very well," he responded; the lens in his eyes to study the robot closely. "Listen well. It is well known that only a child with a companion would leave the train. No others would ever be so bold. She is the driving force behind his curiosity and, as of now, assumed courage as he triumphantly attempts to rescue her. That is the way with any female and male relationship, apparently, no matter the age. Many stories have been written over the male species acting incredibly asinine when it comes to females." Ultron shook his head. "Regardless, he is now derailed, so to speak, in his hunt to find her. If we can slay him in the woods, there will be nothing stopping my march on the North Pole, and no one to save the red king."

"But the girl?" the robot questioned. "Why her?"

Ultron slowly moved toward the door. "Haven't you heard the elves love a good ballet? It is their only weakness. Something about the twirling and the music; the little nuggets are addicted to it. Odd, really. But what can you expect from the red one's army."

The robot processed the information at a rapid place. If he had understood correctly, the boy was driven by his desire to save the girl. The girl was a distraction for the elves so his master could overtake the Pole without any issue. He halfheartedly wondered if there was perhaps an easy way to accomplish this mission.

He looked at his master. "After, will she return to her age?"

Ultron laughed, a few short chuckles before answering. "The longer she stays aged, the harder it will be for her to remember who she once was. Five years is not long to erase. By midnight, her memory will be gone. And after we win the Pole, she will be disposed of."

"Disposed of?"

Ultron approached him and clapped a metal hand on his shoulder. "Sadly, my friend, you lack foresight and vision. To keep her around would mean loose ends."

The robot's gaze darted around the room before he gave a nod.

"Now leave me," Ultron said as he moved towards an exit at the rear of the throne room. "I have other things to attend to. The party is barely beginning."

,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸

Tony picked his way up the mountainside, Jac in tow. The puppy had grown to an impressive six feet in height, but he'd lost what little sense of balance he had and now swayed back and forth—when he wasn't falling over that is.

Tony had found it highly amusing and was still laughing which in turn kept him warm. "You're so silly, Jac."

He received a growl in response which caused him to laugh harder since the puppy still hadn't learn to growl after growing.

Tony turned to him. "Jac, I—"

He paused. In the distance there was a flash of metal. He watched the spot for several moments before scanning the trees. He felt the familiar fingers of fear run up his spine and the hair on the back of his neck rose.

Jac's gaze followed. He whined softly. "They found us."

Tony turned and fled up the mountainside with Jac stumbling behind. He hoped it wasn't that much further to the griffin's house. If it was, they wouldn't make it in time.

They'd only made it maybe another half a mile before Jac stumbled and slammed face first into the snow with a yelp. The metal soldiers appeared from the trees like shadows as they converged on them.

"Halt!" one said as it moved closer before its team.

Tony grabbed a branch and swung it at the first robot to reach them. It tumbled backwards and down the mountain. For a moment, Tony thought it would be like baseball. Maybe the robots weren't smart enough to avoid the branch and they had a fighting chance. That dream was crushed when the second robot grabbed the branch from him and threw it away.

By then Jac had made it to his feet and shoved against the robot, sending him tumbling down the hill. Turning, they both sprinted up the mountainside.

"Halt! Halt!" called mechanical voices from behind.

They'd barely reached another thirty feet before Jac collapsed again. This time dozens of robots surrounded them. They grabbed at Tony, shoving him to his knees. One oved before him, palm raised as a bright light appeared in the center of it.

"Lord Ultron's directive," its mechanical voice crackled as it peer down on him. "Terminate."

Tony was dead. He was so dead, and not like 'the Legos were all over the place and dad walked on them' dead. He'd never get to tell his mother he loved her. He'd never save Skylar. He'd never finish working on the car with his dad. It was all over. And he didn't get to enjoy his Christmas break or even graduate third grade.

A shriek filled the night sky making him wince and want to cover his ears. Within moments, robots were scurrying left and right. Tony tumbled as they let him go, sending him crashing into a tree. He curled in a ball at the base, putting his throbbing cheek into the snow as the area quieted.

When everything was silent, he peeked around and slowly sat up. "Jac?"

Several feet from his the black canine cowered against the ground, the puppy's attention focused on something behind him.

Turning, Tony barely got a glimpse of a large silver creature before he was caught up the throat and lifted off the ground.

"You! Why have you brought these wretched creatures to my residence?"

He trembled as he looked down on what he identified as a griffin. It was silver in color with red markings and red flight feathers. "I…I was sent here."

"By whom?" the griffin questioned.

"H-H-Hank," Tony stuttered. "The blue grizzly."

His grip loosened slightly. "Why would Beast Hank send you to me? What treachery is at foot?"

"The eagle told us to go to Hank," Jac whimpered, crawling toward them.

"Instructor Xavier? Why would he send you to Beast Hank?" the griffin questioned and cast a glance around. "Is this a trap of the robot king? Has my brother sent you? Is this his trickery?"

"No," Jac tried to explain. "We came fwom the twain. We're twying to save our friend. We'wre here fowr awmore."

The griffin dropped Tony to the snow as a booming laugh left his beak. "You are too old to be on the train. What has my brother done this time?"

"I don't know your brother," Tony said, sitting up and rubbing his neck. "I'm just trying to find my friend. It's my fault we got off the train. It stopped and I wanted to look outside. She was taken by—"

The griffin dropped to all fours before taking a seat. "She? You mean your companion was a female?"

Tony nodded. "Yes."

The griffin looked around before spreading his wings. "Come, we need to get you and your canine friend inside. We are not safe in the open."

Tony looked at Jac who shrugged and rose to follow the griffin. He tumbled sideways.

The griffin looked at him. "Little canine, find your center of gravity. Steady your paws. You will walk just fine from there."

Jac rose and spread his paws out a little more. For the first time, he didn't wobble. His ears perked up. "What's youwr name?"

"I am the mighty Thor."

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	11. Longest Night Ever

**Hi lovelies. There's been a lot more school work and work work than normal. Here's another chapter! Sorry if it's a bit rough. Thanks for being understanding!**

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><p>The robot had passed by the large room several times in the past hour. Each time the girl was dancing across the wooden floor, perfecting a ballet performance his master had planned. The lines she was able to form from the fact she was so malleable were impressive. It was something he could never accomplish being so stiff and solid.<p>

Perhaps his master hadn't thought of everything.

He blinked.

To even process such things was blasphemy.

The metal footfalls seemed to crash against the ground as he made his way back to her room. The way she had jumped earlier and landed so softly, if only he could do that. Instead, he could be heard from floors away.

He paused.

No, again, that was blasphemous thinking.

When he reached the room, he stopped at the doorway. His brows shifted up. The girl sat curled up—something his metal limbs would never be able to do—in a stiff, wingback chair staring out the window. He was surprised she was no longer dancing. He wondered what had happened.

Approaching, he looked out the window as well. Why she felt the need to stare into the darkened sky confused him. All he saw were moving particles producing color.

"Why do you stare at the sky, miss?"

She was quiet for some time before standing and wetting her lips. "It's beautiful. The way the lights dance across the sky in their own pattern, never missing a step."

"It is a natural light display predominantly seen at this high altitude. It is caused by charged particles—mainly those known as electrons and protons—entering the atmosphere from above causing ionization—"

She reached up and placed a hand to his metal lips as she continued to stare at them. "There's nothing more beautiful than them."

"You are beautiful," the robot objected remembering her transformation and the conversation thereafter. "Lord Ultron stated you are perfection."

Her arms folded over her chest. "But… I'm not perfect. If you've seen how many times I've fallen while trying to learn this routine… That is not perfection; that is flawed."

"So you…disagree with Lord Ultron?" The robot quickly glanced back. If any heard him speak of such things, he would be sent to the scrap pile—in pieces. He looked at her. "The master is never wrong."

She shrugged. "Perfection doesn't make mistakes."

He decided that humans had an odd way of thinking. His master was correct in stating they were not very intellectual. He decided to humor her. "You deem yourself unworthy then, miss?"

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "Perhaps Ultron isn't right, though. Maybe…maybe perfection doesn't make an individual. Maybe, in some way, we're all meant to be flawed."

The robot paused; his red face flashing to his memory circuits. The master had stated he wasn't supposed to be like that. He should be as silver as all the others. Instead, he'd come out with a red on his face and his master had cloaked him in green producing the thought he was marred because of the red. Perhaps, though, he wasn't. Maybe he was perfect in his own way.

"Do you think I'm flawed?" he dared to ask.

She turned to him. "Flawed? Why?"

"My face was not meant to be red."

She smiled softly. "You are worried about the color of your metal?"

"I am not silver," he responded matter-of-factly. "Do you consider me less of a robot?"

The girl reached up and touched his face. For a moment, he wished he could process the warmth that came from her. What would it be like to feel a temperature? He shook the thought and fixed his optics on her.

Despite her being aged ten years, she still gazed at him like a child, wide eyed and curious. The innocent look she gave him as she lowered herself onto the flats of her feet caused something in the metals of his abdomen to feel as if they were twisting. He questioned if there was something wrong with him as he processed the fact he didn't want the choker on her anymore. She should be allowed to be a child. She should not be held hostage in a dreary castle.

"I question if you were supposed to be a robot to begin with," she responded softly and turned toward the others. "You are more talkative than any of the others, and you sound more human than them."

The robot hesitated before nodding and taking a few steps back. He had to clear his processors. He was flawed. He wasn't meant to be human. He was made to be the right hand of Lord Ultron.

,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸

After tracking footprints from where the train had stopped earlier, the conductor followed paw prints and tiny footsteps to the eastern mountainside. The tracks had gotten a bit scattered, but he'd picked up larger tracks climbing the mountainside. As snow began to float down, he knew he had very little time before the trail went cold.

Why the children had gotten off the train in the first place was a mystery. Why there were only two out of three prints now was worrisome. What was worse was that the two tracks he was following were much larger. This Christmas was going to be a long one.

As he followed the tracks to the top of the mountain, he could feel his shoulders grow heavy. By the looks of it, the animals had gotten to the children. He knew they were frightened by lies the robot king told. They made things so much worse. Mountains out of molehills as the saying went.

He paused as he came upon a cave in the mountainside. Would he find the children inside? That would be ideal. What wouldn't be was if he could the griffin inside. They didn't always see eye to eye.

He slowly entered. Immediately, heat wrapped around his chilly limbs. The griffin must have been at work welding something together.

The conductor stopped and held in a sigh.

While the griffin wasn't home, before him stood a boy no older than eighteen dressed in red and gold armor with a glowing blue circle in the chest. At his feet lay a helmet. Behind him sat a six foot tall black wolf. They looked at him.

The boy's brow furrowed. "Who are—"

"There you are," he said, recognizing the now-grown child by his nearly black hair. Slowly, he approached the boy. "Are you hurt? Where's the girl?"

The wolf squinted at him. Suddenly his ears perked up and he grinned as his tail swished across the floor. The wolf puffed out his chest.

The conductor looked back at the boy.

"The robot king took her," Tony responded. "The animals said I had to grow up in order to save her."

_Of course the animals said that…_ he thought as he placed a hand to his head. A sigh slowly left his lips. Despite wanting to stay out of the robot king's grasp, the animals had fallen right for his plan. What the robot wanted with the girl though was puzzling.

Slowly, he removed his helmet and wiped the sweat from his eyes. Between the jog and the heat in the cave, he felt as if he was melting. After a moment, the conductor looked at the boy. "Come Tony, we need to get you to the big man."

"Big man?" Confusion spread across the boy's face. "Wait, how do you know my name?"

"As the conductor," he explained, "I have a list of all the children that are under my care—even Jac."

The wolf rose and moved to follow him.

"And the big man is Santa. I assumed you would have known that. You are a very smart boy. Now let's go."

Tony hesitated before he looked to the ground. His cheeks reddened slightly. Meanwhile, the wolf's tail was whipping back in forth as he shifted from paw to paw.

Perhaps the boy was shy. The conductor walked to Tony and held out his hand. "I'm Captain America. You can call me Steve."

Tony shook his hand. "Hi."

Steve gave a nod and turned toward the door. "Come on."

With head held high, Jac trotted next to him. Tony, on the other hand still didn't move.

Sighing, Steve looked at him. "We're wasting time. We need to hurry."

"We're going to see Santa?" he questioned.

"Yes," he replied. "I've already said this."

"I… I…"

"He'll be able to help you," Steve reassured. The sooner they got back to the North Pole, the sooner the night could end. "This isn't the first time he's dealt with children who have gotten into tricky situations."

"They said he couldn't be a kid again," Jac said softly.

He resisted rolling his eyes. "The animals shouldn't have done this to you to begin with—to either of you," he added with a look at Jac. "Now, come on. We can't stay here. We have to change you back."

Jac whimpered softly and walked to Tony. Sitting, the wolf picked up the helmet and held it out for Tony. "Maybe he can help."

The boy looked at the helmet before grabbing it and walking to him. "Why shouldn't the animals have done this?"

Steve led them from the cave and down the mountainside. "Why would you need to be changed to begin with?"

"There's supposed to be a battle," Tony said. "And the only way to save Skylar is to become a grown up."

Steve shook his head. "These animals…they think the big guy can be unseated by some robot created by him. Getting children involved… How ridiculous. Everyone knows the children come here to see Santa, and that's it. That's what the Polar Express is about."

"We could have stayed kids?" Jac questioned.

He nodded. "Yes. Whatever the robot king concocted won't be difficult to undo. However, the animals are another story. They aren't exactly known for their potion mixing—especially Hank."

Steve paused when the footsteps behind him stopped. He turned to them. "They sent you to Hank, didn't they?"

"Maybe…" Jac whimpered.

"Is Hank a blue grizzly bear?" questioned Tony.

Steve sighed. This night couldn't get any worse. When a screech sounded from the tree tops he knew had had thought too soon. In a flash, he grabbed the shield from his back and brought it up to block his body. A streak of silver and red slammed into him, causing him to tumble down the mountainside.

_Now_ the night could get any worse.

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	12. Liar, Liar

**Sorry, my internet died on me. I just got it back up and running.**

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><p>"You were brought here."<p>

Skylar startled as the robot approached.

"You were on the train," he explained. "The train that goes to the North Pole."

"North Pole?" she questioned taking several steps back. She worried he was starting to malfunction. Would he start sparking? Would he kill her? "Is something wrong with your circuits?"

He shook his head. "I am functioning perfectly well, miss. It is you that are not fully aware of what has transpired."

Her brow furrowed. The robot had spoken of that earlier. What he was thinking, speaking out against the robot king? She bit her lip.

"Lord Ultron gave you that necklace to wear," he continued as her hand went to her throat. "It is removing every memory of your life—and I imagine replacing it with false truths. It will cause you to remain here, forever, in this castle of ice and snow."

Her fingers traced the dark fabric tight on her neck. Perhaps it was a noose. "It's a spell?"

He nodded. "You are only a little girl, no more than five. The necklace has aged you. Do you not recall even that?"

She was young? She was a child? How could that be? She shook her head. It was nonsense. Why was he telling her these things? "Why are you betraying Lord Ultron?"

"I am not betraying him; he is deceiving you."

"He has never harmed me," she objected. "He has delighted in me."

His brows lowered. "That is not the truth. He deceives you! You are not the prima ballerina he leads you to believe. And while you are kept here in a tangle of lies, he is hunting for your friend. He plans to kill the human boy."

"Friend?" Her lips pursed. What friend did he speak of? She walked to the window on the tips of her toes. The robot was speaking foolishly now. She had a ballet to perform. Lord Ultron had said all the elves in the neighboring city would enjoy it. It was their master who enslaved them and kept them from beauty. The red king could not be trusted.

Light flickered into view as the Aurora Borealis danced across the sky. It was magnificent. It was why she wanted to dance. She wanted to feel that beautiful. And it was only in dreams that she watched them with another human. Here, in the North Pole, she was the only one of her kind.

Her thoughts stopped as it turned to one. If she was the only, as Lord Ultron had said, then how did the faulty robot next to her know of another?

"Lord Ultron would never harm me," she whispered. However, she turned and fled from the room. Why would the robot lie to her? Why was he malfunctioning? Perhaps Ultron would fix him and things would be better.

Or perhaps Ultron wasn't truthful with her.

,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸

Skylar reached the throne room and paused just outside the door. She made sure her tutu was straight and every hair was in place. Hesitating, she heard Ultron speak.

"What do you mean the conductor is helping him?" he growled. "You've allowed him to team up?"

"It was not our in-tention, lord."

The robot who answered sounded cold and mechanical, unlike the red faced one. It sent shivers down her spine.

Ultron hissed a sigh. "Let me get this straight, you lost the boy twice, and then allowed him to waltz into the griffin's cave where that _conductor_ was able to find him?"

"Cor-rect."

Skylar peeked around the corner to see Ultron rise from his throne. Slowly, he descended the steps to the soldier's level. "Do you seem to realize where you erred?"

"Yes," it replied. "Lord, he has recei-ved ar-mor as well."

Ultron nodded slowly and was silent for several long seconds. "Well, I can see you've done your best and there is nothing else to ask of you."

She breathed a sigh of relief. The red faced robot had been wrong. Ultron was understanding. He knew that his guard wasn't perfect.

"Forgive me, captain, but you do not seem capable of performing your duties," he growled and grabbed the robot by the head. It twitched before Ultron crushed its skull and threw it from the throne room. "Nothing but perfection is tolerated here."

She stiffened as the corpse flew past her and slammed into the wall. Pieces of metal scattered across the floor.

"I will only accept the best. Are there any objects?" he called to the others. When no reply came, he continued, "Good. Now find me that _boy_. It should not be this difficult."

Skylar turned silently and fled. She'd taken four steps when a hand cupped around her mouth and an arm around her waist. She squirmed.

"Please, miss," came a whisper. "We must get you out of here. I know where we can go."

She relaxed into the red-faced robot's grip. She'd been wrong about him. He'd been on her side the entire time.

,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸

Tony watched as the griffin slashed at the conductor. He took several steps back and tripped over Jac who had tried to cower behind him. A yelp escaped the dark wolf; he turned and fled into the bushes.

"Who dare enter my cavern?" Thor shrieked with a slash to the conductor.

Steve tensed as the attack clashed off his shield. "I work for the red king."

The griffin hesitated before attacking again. "Lies. You are allied with my brother!"

Steve held up the shield. "Don't be an idiot, griffin."

"He tells the truth!" Tony said, rising to his shaking feet. "He was the conductor on the train."

The griffin looked at him. Silver feathers rose on fell on his chest as he caught his breath. He then looked back at Steve. "You are from the North Pole."

"I ride the train."

"Then why did the young escape your care?"

Steve straightened and his shield moved to his side. "Ultron attacked the train. He wanted two of the kids aboard. I didn't realize this until we'd reached the city."

Thor gave a nod before folding his wings. "Then the robot plans to ambush the city?"

"Tonight," Steve replied.

The griffin moved toward Tony. "It is well the hero is here then."

The conductor stepped between Thor and Tony. "No, he needs to get to the Red King as fast as possible. This grown up spell must be reversed. And it is the Red King will put a stop to Ultron, not this boy."

"That is not how the legend goes," the griffin growled.

"A foolish legend thought up by foolish creatures," Steve responded.

Tony held the helmet against his chest. The arguing was getting them nowhere. And if he had to decide, he would opt not to fight against the robot. Not if he didn't have to. Besides, the conductor was right. He was only a boy. He wasn't strong enough. "Can we go?"

Two sets of eyes settled on him.

"Please? I can't fight a robot all on my own."

The conductor turned back toward the griffin. "A child will not fight this battle."

A hiss left Thor's beak as his feathers ruffled. Steve raised his shield in defense.

A yelp interrupted them as Jac dashed into the area. He bolted to Tony.

"A black howrse is comin' this way with a lotsa wobots!" he barked.

Thor looked at them. "A black steed? Loki…" He looked at the conductor. "Get the young one to the red king. I will take care of my brother."

As the griffin took to the skies, Steve led the two of them down the hill as fast as possible.


	13. Just Out of Reach

She stumbled through the icy fields, pushing through the undergrowth in the wake of the only one who could protect her at the moment. The wind had begun to pick up, causing her to shiver. How she hadn't frozen to death was beyond her. The red-faced robot called it genetics.

Her friend disappeared beyond a tree, lost to the start of a snow storm. She hurried after him, falling to her knees beside him.

The robot paused as he looked down the ridge.

Her hands rubbed her arms in order to gain some sort of warmth. Looking up, she squinted. Bright lights met her gaze before she focused enough to make out a city. In the middle stood an enormous tree twinkling with lights. Above shined the Aurora Borealis seemingly protecting the city from harm. "What is that place?"

"The North Pole," he answered, holding out a hand and lifting her to her feet. "The Red King resides there. He is the only one Lord Ultron fears."

"The Red King?"

The robot nodded. "We need to go to him. If anyone can protect you, it's him."

She hesitated. Would the Red King allow her to be around? She was, after all, part of Ultron's court. Right? "Are you sure about him?"

He led her down the mountain side. "He will protect you."

It hurt to continue on. The snow had chilled her feet to the bone. It grew worse when they reached the bottom of the mountain and began to walk across thick ice toward the town. Leaving the castle in ballet slippers probably hadn't been the smartest idea, but there had been no time. The robot had been in such a hurry to flee, they had left without provision.

As they continued on, she couldn't help but feel as if the robot wasn't telling her the whole truth. While he promised the man would protect her, it seemed as if details were being left out. It wasn't anything he had said, but rather, a feeling deep inside.

Without warning, her foot gave out beneath her and she slipped backwards, skidding across the ice. The robot was next to her in a moment, helping her to her frozen feet. She watched him pause as his eyes widened.

"We must go!" he suddenly exclaimed.

Turning, she looked up the mountain to where they'd just come from. Glinting from the light of the town stood silver robots gazing down on them. A gasp left her lips as she fled, hand in hand with the red robot, toward the city.

,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸

If the Northern Lights weren't floating above him, Tony wouldn't have been able to see where the conductor was leading them. Even with them, however, they didn't stop him from tripping and he felt as if he was in a movie theater with only the screen to light the room. He also felt as cold as he normally did in a theater. Tony was certain his face was just about frozen off. As the wind howled in his ears, he remembered his mother telling him to always keep them warm. Looking down at the helmet, he wondered if putting that on would help. It was worth a try, he supposed.

Pushing it down on his head, it hissed as it locked into place. The world went dark for a moment before the panel before him lit up like a Christmas tree—something he momentarily wondered if he'd be home in time for. The thought left him as his gaze settled on the new scene.

Little words in blue lit up his screen as he walked forward. Suddenly, he could clearly see the path before them. He could now walk without fear of what mystery would pop up to knock him down. Glancing at Jac, a circle spun around his image before outlining him in blue. The wolf titled his head to the side in curiosity.

"This is so cool…" Tony said as he turned back to Steve. Another blue circle highlighted the conductor before outlining him in blue.

Steve looked at him before smiling softly. "Thor seems to know a few things about armor."

Jac's ears twitched before he let out a whimper and bolted past them.

His smile died as his gaze rose to the trees behind Tony.

"Run!"

Tony glanced back to see dozens of glowing blue eyes. Turning, he rushed forward in the armor. It seemed to help him place his feet as several times he should have tripped and tumbled into the snow. A yelp in the distance from Jac made him worried. Were there robots ahead?

Instead, he was forced to skid to a stop behind Steve as they reached a ridge. In the distance he saw a brightly lit city with a glittering Christmas tree. Was that the North Pole?

The conductor grabbed his shield and threw it behind Tony. The metallic sound that followed sounded like a pinball game.

Tony turned to see the shield come back while more robots filled into the tiny area. He could feel his bones shaking before he looked at his palms. In the middle was a circle. He wondered if it could be used like Megan Man's arm canon.

Raising his hand, Tony held it facing the robots. He bit his lip as he tried to figure out how to get it to work. Shaking it, he panicked as the robots drew closer.

"Come on… Please work!" he said, shaking his hand again.

This time he heard a soft metallic whine before light shot out of his palm. He wasn't quite sure what was happening as he flew backwards down the mountain.


	14. Elves for a Robot

The last thing she remembered was the frigid cold and the world blacking out around her. As she came to now, she felt as if she'd been placed in a blanket. The air around her smelled of cookies and gingerbread. Had she frozen to death in the harsh tundra and entered heaven?

No, it couldn't be. She could feel tension in the air. As her eyes opened, she found herself blinded by a golden light. After a few moments of blinking, she gazed up to see the red faced robot looking around. Curious by his look, she glanced around to see short, pointy-ear creatures.

_Elves?_ she questioned.

Slowly, she felt herself lowered to the ground and only then realized the red faced robot had been carrying her. She must have passed out on the tundra. Once he'd placed her on the ground, he raised his hands in the air and backed away.

"Robot?" she questioned softly.

The elves immediately surrounded her, chattering wildly. She winced and tensed as they poked and prodded at her.

"A human?" questioned one.

"Maybe by appearance," said another.

"She looks like a ballerina!" exclaimed a third. "Do you think she can perform for us?"

Silence descended on the group as glowers turned on the third elf. He bit his lip and shrugged.

"We all like the ballet," he said quietly.

After a few moments, they all began to slowly nod.

"After we make sure she's fine, perhaps she'll perform," said the first to which a bunch of elves shouted "seconded!"

Rising to her knees, she shoved some of the elves in order to see the robot behind. Another group of elves had surrounded him. Fear weld up inside her, crashing to the surface in the form of tears. "Robot?"

After tying his hands behind his back, the elves lassoed a rope around his neck and began dragging him away. Without a fight, the robot followed.

She began to shove the elves out of the way as the robot disappeared around a corner. Finally able to stand on her feet, she dashed toward where they had taken him.

"Miss, please!" shouted another elf as they attempted to stop her. "You are in no shape to be running!"

"If you hurt yourself, you won't be able to perform!" squeaked another.

Darting past the group, she sprinted for the corner and slid into the building as she turned. The elves caught up to her and held her wrists as they began to tie her up with rope. Her gaze, however, landed elsewhere.

The procession had made its way to a giant stage at the foot of an enormous Grand Fir tree. The lights from the tree twinkled off the shiny surface of the robot as he stood on the stage. Animals, elves and other odd creatures began to fill the area around the stage. She caught sight of an eagle which landed on a branch of the tree and a large blue bear who lumbered to the stage.

"His kind has murdered so many of our own!" shouted an elf from the stage. "Should we let this coward rot in our jail cells?!"

"NO!" roared the gathering crowd.

She kicked at the elf tying her wrists, sending him backwards. Breaking free, she dashed toward the stage.

"We will put this one to death then!" the elf on stage shouted.

As the crowd cheered for blood—or possibly oil—she rushed to get there before they could kill him. They didn't understand. They didn't know he was a good robot. It was Ultron who was the enemy. A massive silver and red griffin landed before her, cutting off her path. As it faced the stage, it shrieked in agreement with the shouting audience.

Fighting her way around the griffin, she shoved her way through the animal crowd amidst growls of annoyance. Tears now streamed down her cheeks as the robot was forced to his knees and disappeared from her sight. The blue bear moved to stand over him. In its paws it held two paddles. Whatever those were couldn't be anything good.

Pushing past the last few animals, one of them a very angry wolverine, she tensed as the hair on the back of her neck rose. Her ears caught the soft buzz of electricity. She stood in horror as the bear brought the paddles down on the robot.

What happened after was a blur. The robot barely had time to give her a soft look before his body convulsed over and over again. He did his best to hide the pain and not look at her, but she could see the horror he went through before the light in his eyes at long last died out. As smoke rose from his body, the bear removed the paddles.

"Ro…" she choked as she jumped on the stage. She reached out for him. "Robot…?

Her hands met warm metal and she pushed him to his back. The stiff machine gazed at the Aurora Borealis with dead eyes.

"Do not concern yourself with this one life. It means nothing," said an elf stepping forward. "Now, will you perform Dance of the Firebird from Igor Stravinsky's _The Firebird_?"

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Tony followed Steve into the city, Jac on his heels. The conductor said it would be only a matter of time before the robot army regrouped and brought the king with them. Another attack was expected.

He bit his lip. The animals had told him he was to save the day. Steve on the other hand told him he was just a child. He knew asking Jac was a silly idea—that wouldn't get him anywhere. What was he supposed to do?

Looking up, the screen on the inside of his helmet lit up identifying certain things like windows, cookies and a red headed girl rushing toward them.

He blinked. _The girl from the train?_

She paused before Steve and began to speak in Russian. While it was something he hadn't learned in school, he found himself able to understand what she said. It had to be something the armor was able to do. Perhaps it was translating.

"You have to help," she said to Steve.

Removing the shield from his back, he looked at her. "What's wrong?"

"A robot brought a ballerina into the village. The elves killed the robot and asked her to dance. They're now hypnotized and there are more robots moving into the village."

The conductor took a deep breath before charging forward. Tony swallowed roughly before following Steve. The animals had said he was supposed to save the day. Perhaps now was his chance.

When he came across the ballerina on stage, he immediately recognized her. How had Skylar ended up here? What's more, is she looked old…just like him.

He found himself freezing as he watched the robots invade the city. Animals were doing their best to stop them, but the robots were too strong. Many of them had already taken the hypnotized elves hostage.

Tony knew he should have helped fight. He should have been attacking the robots. However, he was drawn to the stage. It was the ballerina that was keeping the elves from fighting. Perhaps she was the key. After a deep breath, he hopped on stage causing her to stop.

As her routine stopped, the elves blinked and began to move again. Cries left their mouths as they moved to stop the robots.

"Skylar?"

Her brow quirked. "Who are you?"

He taped the side of his helmet and the gold mask popped up. "Tony."

"I know no Tony."

He took a few steps forward. "Course you do. We go to school together."

Her arms crossed. "You are working for those elves. You want to stop Lord Ultron."

"Duh. Ultron's crazy."

"Have you met him?" she challenged as her gaze dropped. "I'll bet the answer is no. The elves are the evil here. They murder without a thought."

He followed her gaze to the red faced robot on stage. "Is he the one that brought you here?"

Her arms crossed before she nodded softly. "He told me Ultron was bad. But I don't think he knew the elves were worse. They… they murdered him without question. Ultron promised to rid the Pole of them. And if they kill so willingly why should they be given another chance?"

Tony knelt next to the robot. He knew a bit about mechanics due to time spent with his father, but he wasn't sure he could bring back a robot. A thought then crossed his mind and he rose. His face plate dropped and the back of his armor slid open allowing him to step out of it. He then watched as it sealed up again.

His gaze rose to the scene around. While the elves had made a good dent in the robots, the sea of shiny bodies seemed endless. Tony would bet it wouldn't be long before the robots overpowered the elves.

What really caused him to panic was a larger robot that walked onto the scene. Out of his hands came the same type of rays Tony's armor had shot out.

Quickly Tony moved to the front of the suit. He twisted the glowing circle, pulling it out along with wires. He then knelt next to the robot and hooked the wires up to it. He bit the inside of his cheek when the energy didn't spread into robot.

"What have we here?"

Tony looked up at the giant robot looming over him. Its red eyes were fixed on the dead robot's.

"I don't understand why no one listens to me," he said with a sigh. "This is what lack of vision gets you."


End file.
